Advice: Backhoe vs. Traditional Tractor

[RodneyV]

My father-in-law recently bought 110 acres in the Texas Hill Country. He wants to buy a contractor type JD backhoe tractor to move around the loose large rocks and use the backhoe to dig out a mud filled spring. He's a relatively new in-law and new to the ranch life. At this point I've only made a couple suggestions that a traditional tractor might be a better investment so you could use a multitude of implements. He believes a typical backhoe is more powerfull.

My question is what size and model tractors would be equivelant in bucket lift power, have a backhoe option and still have a 3 point for other uses? I'd really like to convince him to get a traditional tractor because I think he might regret buying just backhoe for the ranch. He wants to buy a newer used tractor with a budget of 15K to 25K.

Appreciate any advice.

 

[Builder]

My father-in-law recently bought 110 acres in the Texas Hill Country. He wants to buy a contractor type JD backhoe tractor to move around the loose large rocks and use the backhoe to dig out a mud filled spring. He's a relatively new in-law and new to the ranch life. At this point I've only made a couple suggestions that a traditional tractor might be a better investment so you could use a multitude of implements. He believes a typical backhoe is more powerfull.

My question is what size and model tractors would be equivelant in bucket lift power, have a backhoe option and still have a 3 point for other uses? I'd really like to convince him to get a traditional tractor because I think he might regret buying just backhoe for the ranch. He wants to buy a newer used tractor with a budget of 15K to 25K.

Appreciate any advice.

You're right that a traditional tractor with 3 pt hitch arms would be more versatile, but I don't think ANY traditional tractor could be outfitted with a backhoe that can do more than today's CASE, CAT, DEERE, etc. backhoes. They would lack the integration to the frame, the stability, the digging power or the extendahoe capability, either.

On the FEL side, a backhoe has between 6,000-7,000 lbs lift capacity. You'd have to get a huge farm tractor to get that kind of lift capability.

The traditional tractor can run field mowers, scrapers, etc. that a backhoe cannot.

Pretty simple. Ask him if he needs 3 pt hitch implements, if he does, he needs a farm tractor. If he doesn't then he could get a tradtional backhoe.

 

[Z-Michigan]

A Kubota L48 or a JD 110 will give you a good solid backhoe and a 3pt hitch assembly with PTO. They aren't as strong as the industrial backhoes but are more solid than anything not designed with a backhoe in mind. And unlike the industrial backhoes they have a 3pt hitch and can serve with most all 3pt type implements. Wouldn't be an ideal choice of conventional farming tasks but should handle a range of landscaping and be able to do mowing well too (if rather on the heavy side).

 

[john_bud]

What kind of advice is that? He should get the big industrial Deere or Case or even a JCB and later, get the farm tractor to run implements.

When in doubt - buy both.

jb

 

[GaryCrowell]

Tell him to rent the backhoe for a week and stay up from dawn to dusk running it, then buy a tractor for everything else he needs to do. Equipment like backhoes and bulldozers are wonderful things, but they're specialized equipment that isn't needed on a daily or even monthly basis. A backhoe won't be cost effective because he doesn't have that much need for one, and once the stuff a backhoe can do is done it'll be sitting in the weeds. A tractor is needed repeatedly on 110 acres.

Buy a tractor, rent a backhoe.

 

[Builder]

Tell him to rent the backhoe for a week and stay up from dawn to dusk running it, then buy a tractor for everything else he needs to do. Equipment like backhoes and bulldozers are wonderful things, but they're specialized equipment that isn't needed on a daily or even monthly basis. A backhoe won't be cost effective because he doesn't have that much need for one, and once the stuff a backhoe can do is done it'll be sitting in the weeds. A tractor is needed repeatedly on 110 acres.

Buy a tractor, rent a backhoe.

I live in farm country. Every farmer in my area owns a full size 4x4 backhoe. They're part of farm life today.

 

[npaden]

My father-in-law recently bought 110 acres in the Texas Hill Country. He wants to buy a contractor type JD backhoe tractor to move around the loose large rocks and use the backhoe to dig out a mud filled spring. He's a relatively new in-law and new to the ranch life. At this point I've only made a couple suggestions that a traditional tractor might be a better investment so you could use a multitude of implements. He believes a typical backhoe is more powerfull.

My question is what size and model tractors would be equivelant in bucket lift power, have a backhoe option and still have a 3 point for other uses? I'd really like to convince him to get a traditional tractor because I think he might regret buying just backhoe for the ranch. He wants to buy a newer used tractor with a budget of 15K to 25K.

Appreciate any advice.

Based on what he is wanting and what he means by "a newer used tractor" I think his budget may be SIGNIFICANTLY low. The Kubota L48 and John Deere 110 in decent shape are going to be selling in the $35k range and they are on the "light" side of the industrial machines.

You could get a nearly used up industrial Case 580CK for that price that might work well for his needs but it may need some work and will probably be 20 years old. Not sure if that qualifies as a newer used tractor.

My 2 cents. Nathan

 

[Z-Michigan]

I live in farm country. Every farmer in my area owns a full size 4x4 backhoe. They're part of farm life today.

I too live in farm country and have noticed that most farms have an industrial backhoe in their barns. I haven't been able to figure out why, though. There can only be so many rocks that have to removed and can't be dug out with the FEL on a farm tractor. Can anyone tell me?

 

[Oleozz]

A friend, who's a farmer, has a Case 580 sitting in his shed and that's where it spends most of its time. Everytime I visit I enjoy looking at it but it doesn't get near the use that his farm tractors get.
My choice would be a good used utility tractor in the 75 to 95 hp range.

 

[DrRick]

I have 1000 acres in the texas hill country. I bought a used JD 410 for around 8000 dollars. I have to say I use it all the time, and not just for digging. It makes a great crane for unloading almost anything, and when I cut trees up it is easy to fill the bucket for the trip back to the splitter area. It of course digs well, but also will backdrag and smooth all the roads I have with some speed. I have a dozer, excavator, and a dk55c Kioti for other things, however I realy use the backhoe the most of all. Your father in law will never run out of things to do with it.
rick

 

[Riddler]

I own/maintain only 50 acres, but I use the BH attachment on my tractor almost every week, especially now that it has a "thumb" that makes it easy to grab things with the bucket. I have a lot of site improvement projects to deal with at my place, but even if I bought a place with all new improvements, I could still envision using the BH frequently. Once you have one, you begin thinking about doing things that you never contemplated before.

None of that, however, answers the question of true TLB v. CUT + BH attachment. Personally, I have found very few instances in which I felt I needed the capabilities of a real TLB to get the job done. When I say "get the job done," I am referring only to the result I desire, not the time it takes to get there. In other words, it may take 50% or 100% longer to get the desired result with a BH attachment on a larger CUT then it would with a real TLB, but who really needs the highest production rates when it comes to projects at your own place? For improving/maintaining your own place, it make sense to sacrifice efficiency for increased versatility (i.e., the ability to run a variety of PTO driven implements).

 

[RodneyV]

Thanks for all the replies. Honestly, I think a good traditional tractor can do everything he is wanting to do. His backhoe jobs are really small jobs, renting for those is a good option if absolutely necessary. I've never operated a backhoe so I wasn't sure if it had any other uses, I learned it is a much stronger piece of equipment. He has a pecan bottom that will need to be mowed so a backhoe would be useless for that. He mentioned using his riding mower for this, I don't think so. The grass is 3 foot tall now. I don't think he see's the full picture yet. Buying two pieces of equipment is not an option. I agree it may take a little longer in some cases to get the job done, but there are other jobs you would be unable to do with a TBH.

I've really just met him only a couple times so I don't want to push too hard and start off this new relationship on a bad foot. Again, he is new at the ranch business and is not thinking everything through. Maybe I will get some brochures on the Kubota L48 or a JD 110 and maybe it will turn on the light bulb for him. I also thought about bringing out my little Kubota BX2200 with a FEL and box blade just to show how much power a little garden tractor has. I don't think he's ever been on any kind of tractor to know how much power they have.

Thanks for educating me. It will be 3 weeks before I meet up with him again. Wish me luck.

 

[jfh0jfh]

I have 1000 acres in the texas hill country. I bought a used JD 410 for around 8000 dollars. I have to say I use it all the time, and not just for digging. It makes a great crane for unloading almost anything, and when I cut trees up it is easy to fill the bucket for the trip back to the splitter area. It of course digs well, but also will backdrag and smooth all the roads I have with some speed. I have a dozer, excavator, and a dk55c Kioti for other things, however I realy use the backhoe the most of all. Your father in law will never run out of things to do with it.
rick

Same here (160 acres in OH): the backhoe is the best maintenance tool (I have tractors & a dozer also) - move trees; clean roads, ditches; move some dirt; dig a rock; fix the pond bank; load a junk truck onto a trailer; ... I don't use it daily - or even often now - but it reduces task time and I fix/ improve things I might otherwise leave be.

I sold mine in May and have been looking for a replacement. I have a big list already.

 

[flusher]

My father-in-law recently bought 110 acres in the Texas Hill Country. He wants to buy a contractor type JD backhoe tractor to move around the loose large rocks and use the backhoe to dig out a mud filled spring. He's a relatively new in-law and new to the ranch life. At this point I've only made a couple suggestions that a traditional tractor might be a better investment so you could use a multitude of implements. He believes a typical backhoe is more powerfull.

My question is what size and model tractors would be equivelant in bucket lift power, have a backhoe option and still have a 3 point for other uses? I'd really like to convince him to get a traditional tractor because I think he might regret buying just backhoe for the ranch. He wants to buy a newer used tractor with a budget of 15K to 25K.

Appreciate any advice.

Check the Koyker backhoe attachments:

Koyker backhoe attachment

The KB85 BH can handle a 36"-wide bucket.

Koyker Model KB85 Backhoe attachment

It requires a tractor in the 60hp range, which may be a little small for a 110-acre spread. You may want a tractor in the 100 hp range

 

[Richard]

For the sake of sounding dramatic, I've got a JCB 1550B (15 1/2' digging depth) and I'm sitting on about TWO acres!!! (the reality is, my 2 acres are in the middle of the family farm which is 250)

I've used 'Brutus' for many things:

1. Collecting & then building a retaining wall with HUGE rocks (some over 8' long)
2. Moving downed trees
3. Helping to DOWN trees (place Hoe against tree and help push)
4. Crane some pallats of sod, old trailer, stumps
5. Use hoe to flip old mower over to replace blades
6. Bury dead animals
7. Replant wifes Day lillies! (why use a shovel?)
8. Backdrag gravel driveway with front bucket
9. Use Hoe & strong chain to pull stuck tractor (AND 10' cutter) out of muck
10. Use Hoe to clean up some muck on lakebed when water level was down

and among many other things, item 11.... I say for fun though it's true...

Wife had some kind of Fight fish??? (The kind of fish when put with another fight each other) Well "Hernando" was found belly up one day. Wife was all sad at his demise & wanted me to bury it. I was going to flip him into the woods and she was AGAST at how thoughtless I was being towards this 2 inch long fish. I again offered to simply flip him away and she said I had to BURY him. Sooooooooo, to make a point on how silly this was, I put Hernando into a paper cup, climbed upon Brutus and lumbered to the top of the hill where I commenced to dig a 2' wide by maybe 2' deep hole for him, flipped him inside and then covered the hole. Wife was wondering why I didn't use a shovel.... I was wondering why I WOULD use a shovel.